LDS Church, BYU Reach Agreement for Missionary Housing

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has found a short-term solution to their Missionary Training Center housing problem. UPR’s Stephen Tanner tells us how the Church is turning to college apartments to help fill solve the problem.

The LDS Church has come to an agreement with the owner of the Raintree Commons apartment complex in Provo to lease housing for the sudden increase of new missionaries.

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Starting in May, the church will use the Raintree apartments and BYU-owned Wyview Park apartments to help house the expected two thousand new missionaries.

Missionaries housed at the Raintree Commons and Wyview Park will eat, exercise, and attend classes and worship services at those complexes.

Last October, the LDS Church announced the lowering of the minimum age requirement for female missionaries from 21 to 19 years of age, and male missionaries from 19 to 18. Before the new age change, the church called about 700 missionaries a week to serve in different areas around the world. That average has jumped to 1,400 missionaries called a week.

Provo City and the Church are discussing about possible plans to expand the MTC to house more than 6,000 missionaries.

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At this past weekend’s 182nd semi-annual Church of Latter-day Saints General Conference in Salt Lake City, Church President Thomas S. Monson announced new age requirements that allow LDS youth to start their missions earlier. While this is good news for young missionaries, some Utah universities could see a dip in enrollment.